


Paz Elise

by rewriter



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Adult Dipper Pines, Adult Mabel Pines, Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Future, Angst, F/M, Family, Fluff, Friendship, Future Fic, Gen, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Canon, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-21 10:40:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17042186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rewriter/pseuds/rewriter
Summary: As Dipper came closer to Greasy’s Diner, he passed Lazy Susan around the back, smiling to her phone.“Hey Lazy Susan.” Dipper waved. “How’re things going?”Susan looked elated. “Great,” she warbled, “I just discovered Tinder!”“Ok...wow, that’s very upsetting,” Dipper muttered to himself as he walked inside. Didn’t need to know that. Did not need to know. It was morning still, so the diner was fairly empty.





	Paz Elise

**Author's Note:**

> This will be an episodic slice of life story that takes place after Dipper graduates college and goes back to Gravity Falls. Please comment with suggestions for things that could happen in their lives that I could write about.

     Dipper Pines was back, and it had been his plan all along. He had no desire to wile away his youth like Grunkle Stan or Mable. Dipper felt lucky- he knew his purpose. His purpose was to discover the mysteries and secrets of Gravity Falls. He’d spent four years vigorously studying the paranormal at college- well, as much as you can in an environment full of academics who didn’t believe a word he said. But now, he was back in the shack. He had Ford’s blessing and occasional visits. He had Stan’s good hearted derision. He had Soos and Melody, who ran the Mystery Shack partly to fund his exploits. And he had Mabel.

     Much to the shagrin of their parents, Mabel did not go to college. As soon as she turned 18, she packed her bags and moved back to Gravity Falls. Ever the social butterfly, she had no problem establishing herself in the town, and in the last four years had held many, many jobs, from a teacher to a reporter to a sculptor to a beekeeper to her current job, disc jockey for Gravity Falls AM Radio. It was Mae-Mae and the Hogg, comin’ atcha’ in the AM.

     Dipper also had Wendy. Wendy had inherited her father’s business, but was training her brothers so she didn’t always have to be there. Robbie stayed home to take care of his aging parents, and he accentuated the funeral business of Gravity Falls with his brooding artist’s touch. The Valentino Funeral Service offered a complimentary performance by Robbie V. And The Tombstones for every funeral party or shiva.

     The one person Dipper hadn’t gotten the whereabouts of since he had left was Pacifica Northwest. The last time he saw her she was at Mabel and Dipper’s birthday party, battle weary and faking a smile as she tried to distance herself from her parents. It was the last time Dipper had seen Pacifica in person for eight years. All he knew was that her parents had been put in jail for some kind of financial fraud. And he just...wondered how she was doing.

     Dipper and Soos had just finished unpacking his dorm boxes in the basement of the Shack, which mostly consisted of scientific trinkets and writings. Dipper’s current purpose, being significantly more established in the town than Ford was at his age, was to codify and publish his findings, and promote a better understanding of the surrounding area of Gravity Falls.

     “Thanks Soos,” said Dipper. “D’you think I could have a minute though?”

     “Sure dude,” said Soos. “Tell me when you want to get out of this basement.”

     Dipper laughed as Soos climbed up the ladder. He picked up his phone and dialed Mabel.

     “Hey sis.”

     “Hey Dippinsauce, what’s cookin’?”

     “Oh, I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed this morning’s show.”

     “You mean my radio segment? But it’s only local radio…”

     “Yeah, I know.”

     “OMG ARE YOU HERE? Dipper-”

     “Yeah Mabel I’m here.”

     “Where are you bro bro?”

     “I’m at the shack. I just wanted to let you know I’m here, I’ll see you later today though.”

     Mabel screamed and laughed and Dipper hung up. He had someone else he needed to find.

     He’d heard from Mabel that Pacifica had moved in with Lazy Susan after Bill, and now worked at the diner part-time. The former Northwest Mansion was now a derelict ghost den. As Dipper came closer to Greasy’s Diner, he passed Lazy Susan around the back, smiling to her phone.

     “Hey Lazy Susan.” Dipper waved. “How’re things going?”

     Susan looked elated. “Great,” she warbled, “I just discovered Tinder!”

     “Ok...wow, that’s very upsetting,” Dipper muttered to himself as he walked inside. Didn’t need to know that. Did not need to know.

     It was morning still, so the diner was fairly empty. Dipper didn’t see Pacifica anywhere inside, so he decided to ask the counter.

     “Hey,” he said absentmindedly, “Does Pacifica Northwest still work here?”

     “What about it?”

     The girl at the counter looked up. She had thick blonde hair that could easily cover her face in two parts. She lavender eyeshadow that looked like it was smeared with a thumbprint.

     “Pacifica?” Dipper voice cracked awkwardly, even though he was 21.

     Dipper’s throat was dry. He was 12 again. Pacifica was beautiful. She didn’t look very different from how she looked before - she still had her thick blonde hair, and she was dripping sarcasm. But she looked…free-er somehow? Like she’d been unchained from something. She wasn’t wearing any makeup, except for a swipe of glittery lavender eyeshadow on each eye. Her bangs were gone, and her face was visible, blemishes and all. And she smiled. Her beautiful bitchy smile. And the makeup glittered in the creases around her eyes.

     “Pacifica?”

     “That’s my name, don’t wear it out.”

     “Yeah, I know it’s your name…” Dipper ran his hand through his hair.

     “What’s with the weird hat Dipper?” Pacifica asked, pointing at the mukluk Dipper was wearing.

     “It’s from Wendy.” Pacifica frowned.

     “It’s old,” Dipper stammered, “She gave it to me when I left…she and I…we’re not…she’s too old!…I mean not old old…do you need a ride home?”

     Pacifica smiled again, and ducked down behind the counter. She came out from around the counter with a hoodie and revealed her loose, cropped jeans, boots, and pink socks.

     “I don’t need a ride,” she said, “Mabel gets me on her way home to hang at the shack sometimes. And as for me, I am home. After…you left, I’ve been living with Lazy Susan. She’s actually kind of awesome. Did you know she used to be an actress? She was on the Gravity Falls Public Access.”

     Dipper knew what he wanted to say. But he didn’t want to know what he knew what he wanted to say. But before he could start spiraling over his embarrassing crush, Pacifica spoke up.

     “We're hanging out. It’s been, like, a decade,” she said authoritatively. “My shift ends in five. I’ll meet you outside in a few!”

     Five minutes later, Pacifica came out of the diner, calling back behind her,

     “Bye Susan!” She turned to Dipper. “We’re going to mall. I love Susan, she’s basically my mom, but the Diner food is shit.”

     Dipper hurried to keep up with Pacifica as she strode down the street.

     “So,” said Dipper awkwardly, “What are you, you know, gonna do? After the diner? Are you going to go to school in Oregon or…”

     “Dipper!” snapped Pacifica, “I, for one, am offended that you would even insinuate that I, Pacifica Elise, would work in a diner forever. For your information, I am almost done with school at the Gravity Falls Community College and I am going to be mayor. Someday. I’ll get there!”

     Dipper chuckled, “Wow. Mayor, huh?”

     “Dipper. I’m a power hungry monster.” She laughed.

     “It’s Elise now?” continued Dipper.

     “Yeah,” said Pacifica, “It’s my middle name. I do not want the name of those assholes who birthed me. Also, Mabel has started calling me Paz now, so you can too I guess. It can’t just be Mabel. I’ll have a nickname, but not a pet name.”

     As Dipper watched Pacifica - sorry, Paz - walk through the mall doors, he had to admit to himself. He was fucking enamoured. As the pair walked by Hoo-Ha Owl’s Pizzamatronic Jamboree, shuddering, Dipper got a call from Mabel. He picked up, mouthing an apology to Pacifica.

     “DIPPINSAUCE-”

     “Holy shit, Mabel I can hear you, you don’t need to scream-"

     “When are you coming home?!?! I made PANCAKES-”

     Dipper shut his phone off.

     “I think we should head back to the shack.”

* * *

 

     Back at the shack Mabel, pulled Dipper into an organ-busting hug before he could even get in the door. Dipper almost did a double take when he saw Pacifica smile when Mabel hugged her.

     “PAZ!!!”

     “Hey Mabel,” Pacifica giggled, “I guess you know who showed up at Susan’s today.”

     “Dipper called me this morning about my radio spot.”

     “Mae-Mae and the Hogg!” Pacifica shook her head and chuckled.

     Then Dipper noticed Mabel’s hair. It was up. Or was it down? There were a lot of clips in it. It was half down, but there was also a braid. And a bun tied up with a pencil? And at least a few parts of it were dyed purple.

     “Woah,” said Dipper, “Love the new look Mabel.”

     “Thanks Dipper,” she replied excitedly, “I’ve been getting a lot of fashion and beauty advice requests during Mae Mae and the Hogg.”

     Behind Mabel’s back, Pacifica rolled her eyes and laughed silently.

     “You wanna play some Fight Fighters? We got the home version,” said Pacifica.

     “Sounds great," said Dipper.

     Mabel sat in the yellow chair taking selfies of her Lisa Frank tattoos as Dipper and Pacifica furiously attacked Rumble McSkirmish in the video game. Soon Mabel was dead asleep.

     Pacifica was muttering to herself. She’d taken some damage from another play and was intent on hunting Rumble down virtually.

     “Revenge! Sweet sweet revenge…” Pacifica started to nod off.

     It was one in the morning, and now her head was in Dippers lap. And it all made sense now. He liked hanging out with Mabel. She was a sister. And Soos was a brother and Wendy was a sister and Waddles was a…pig. But Pacifica? She was different. She was intriguing and complicated and sarcastic and funny and beautiful. Dipper wanted her to know it. So he helped Pacifica up.

     “Paz,” he asked, “It’s getting kinda late. Do you maybe wanna go to sleep now?”

     Pacifica shook her head to wake herself up a bit.

     “Right, I’ll go get some blankets for the floor.”

     Before she could walk away Dipper, stopped her.

     “Erm, you know,” stammered Dipper, “You can stay in my room if you want. We can just share.”

     Pacifica smiled mischievously. “Share your…bed?”

     “Um, yeah. If that's okay-“

     “It’s more than okay.”

     Dipper took Pacifica’s hand and led her to the basement. When he helped her down the ladder, her tank top rode up and he could see her lower back, which was just as beautiful as the rest of her. He sat down on the bed and was about to take his shirt off, when he realized he should probably ask.

     “Is it okay if I change?”

     Pacifica yawned. “Only if I can change too.”

     With that, Pacifica stripped off her pants, left in just her tank top and underwear as Dipper tried not to be overcome with anxiety. They stood awkwardly picturesque, facing each other in just their underwear.

     “We both had a really weird childhood,” Pacifica remarked.

     “Yeah,” said Dipper. “I’m really happy to see you again.”

     “I’m happy you’re here.”

     They hugged a clammy hug.


End file.
